Athletes of the future BY MARKUS MUKHERJEE, DONOVAN KERVICK Staff Reporter
Photo taken from Chu’s instagram Photo taken from Hall’s Instagram
With the school year ending, seniors are the program isn’t the level they’d hoped. Senior Evangeline Chu is going to Yale “Trust me, there are D2 that are deciding what their next steps are going to be. University for Gymnastics. She emphasizes Many students are off to college and want programs better than some D1s. Be open to that club sports have a different application to continue their athletics there. Getting the considering all three process than school chance to be a college athlete can be very divisions [programs]. sports. difficult and requires a lot of hard work and If playing time is a “The application sacrifice. Robert Poules, the Varsity American really big thing for process is different Football coach at Sequoia, helps future you, maybe consider Don’t let anyone try to discourage for non-school sports a smaller D1 because you because, at the end of the day, athletes get recruited. just because, at least time is it’s your future.” “I always recommend that they run playing for gymnastics,” Chu through a short checklist. Do you want to be never guaranteed,” said. “It tends to a big fish [successful athlete] in a small pond Hall said. “Don’t happen much earlier, [school with small sports programs]? Or a let anyone try to Aniyah Hall, senior athlete so you can apply and discourage you small fish [athlete] in a big pond hear back from the because, at [school with large sports university sometimes the end programs? They’re gonna earlier than school of the day, it’s your future.” have a very different sports.” “If college coaches are experience,” Poules Throughout highschool, Chu had to showing interest, make said. balance school and athletics. She notes how sure you do research on Poules also important management is for becoming a them. Also, look into the reccomends that better student and athlete. program they recently athletes strengthen “Some obstacles that made the path more coached at, and their skills in mutliple difficult were just the amount of time we even try sports. had to spend practicing [around 5 to reach “The best athletes hours every day of the week] out to are usually multi-sport and not managing my time some of athletes. I know for well to get all my work the players example, [in] baseball they done,” Chu said. on the team [recruiters] get super frustrated For most seniors, to ask about their because the kids specialize and when they choosing a college is a very see them, they know that there’s nothing they coaching style,” Hall difficult process. While can do to make that kid better realistically,” said. some students focus Being an athlete said Poules. on academics in college, This year, quite a few Sequoia students and trying to achieve Students who also want to have committed to colleges for athletics, success always comes continue their athletic career like senior Aniyah Hall who is going to play with some challenges, have to factor that into their volleyball in college. Hall advises students whether it’s injuries, not decision process. Chu sheds some getting playing sports to light on how she chose her college and the opportunity you take advantage of the her advice for others in the same boat. hoped for or losing opportunities they “I chose Yale because it is not only one motivation. get and try to use all of the most prestigious universities in the “You have to available resources. country, but it also had everything I was I love the coaches and the girls on make sure you’re “Luckily for me, looking for in a school,” Chu said. “From the actually enjoying most of my coaches the team, and I’m so excited to get encouraging environment to the beautiful your sport and have coached at D1 to know them more.” campus, I loved everything about it. Also, I love having fun. I burnt schools and have the coaches and the girls on the team, and I’m myself out very lots of connections Evangeline Chu, senior athlete so excited to get to know them more.” quickly because to other college Chu’s advice on recruitment comes from I was constantly coaches,” Hall said. a lot of experience as she comments on training every single “Start sending emails persistance and confidence. as soon as possible. The earlier you start day, along with playing another sport,” Hall “Be persistent when reaching out to sending emails and films, the more exposure said. “It caused me to become mentally and college coaches to be recruited, and don’t feel physically exhausted. The biggest thing is just you’re giving yourself.” down if things are not going exactly as you had Hall advises people in the recruitment understanding when you need to give yourself planned,” Chu said. process don’t limit their options just because a break.”
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